According Roberts, God's people were initially those who are called by His name. However, after the first prophet, Moses gave the people the message of the covenant, God's people became those who listened to the words of the covenant and lived according to it. This does not mean that those who disobeyed the covenant ceased to be God's children. It rather implies that those who opposed or disobeyed the law did not enjoy the blessings and benefits that came with the covenant. The prophets obligation to God's people was to remind them of the covenant, to correct them when they acted against the covenant and to give them hope.
God's place is signified by the construction of a new temple that is more magnificent than the old one that was destroyed. The old temple is a symbol of the old covenant where God withdraws from his people and leaves them empty and desolate. The new temple is the symbol of the new covenant where God gives the terms that govern his relationship with mankind. Therefore God's place is within the new temple or the new covenant. It also represents forgiveness of sins and a new beginning under God.
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The prophets see their role in expressly explaining God's rule and blessing. Therefore, their most urgent role was to explain how God's new covenant would be expressed through his son and the Messiah Jesus. This would mark the beginning of a new government where people would have direct access to God through Jesus. God would still fulfill his word and previous promises, but he would also require his people to obey his rules. He will make this easier for the people by placing his word in their hearts. Eventually, when God's rule in the world is established, his blessings will follow.
References
Roberts, V. (2012). God's big picture: tracing the storyline of the Bible . InterVarsity Press.
